Treestand seat cover

ABSTRACT

The TREESTAND SEAT COVER is a weather and scent impermeable cover for the primary protection of the treestand seat. Its&#39; design is similar to a pillow case with an expanded opening end to allow for close fitting of the cover around the risers and other structural components of the treestand. The TREESTAND SEAT COVER is applied to the treestand using hook &amp; loop and elastic straps.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISC APPENDIX

[0003] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] This invention relates to the field of hunting equipment. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to treestands and treestandaccessories. This invention is a cover for the seat and theuser-occupied portion of a treestand.

[0005] Hunters, naturalists, photographers, and other users of portabletreestands use portable treestands to obtain heights above the animalsthey intend to observe, photograph, or hunt.

[0006] Gaining height over animals gives the user of treestands theadvantage of being less likely to be detected by the animals through theBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION, Continued—-animals' keen senses of sightand smell.

[0007] Most climbing treestands are made of two parts or structures; aplatform part, which a user stands upon after elevating himself to thedesired height; and a seat structure, which supports a seat for theuser.

[0008] The platform structure and the seat structure are attached to thetree using a variety of adjustable supports, which wrap around the treeand connect to angled risers. Each structure has its own support wrapand its own risers. The risers of the platform structure and the risersof the seat structure usually intersect with the platform structure andthe seat support structure at similar locations and angles.

[0009] Because trees are usually bigger at their base, the treestanduser starts his accent of the tree with both the seat structure and theplatform structure at an incline. As the user moves higher, thestructures level themselves when the diameter of the tree diminishes toa diameter equal to the previously set diameter of the treestand supportstrap.

[0010] The treestand seats (which are supported by the seat structure)vary in size, style, method of attachment, and substance of material.Some are removable with minimal effort. Most treestand seats arepositioned so the user has his back to the tree. Others are positionedso the user has to face the tree.

[0011] Despite the portable nature of most treestands, users oftenprefer to leave their treestands in the woods or the area that they areobserving. They prefer to leave them for many reasons, some of which areas follows.

[0012] Animals are both elusive and repetitive in nature. A hunter orphotographer may have to try for weeks to photograph or take his quarry.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION, Continued—-Or

[0013] it may be that the treestand user has immediate success, butwants more success from the same location. And it may be that leaving atreestand in the area allows the treestand to “cool off”, i.e., warygame may need time to get used to the treestand. Whatever the reason forthe treestand user to leave the treestand, there is a couple of problemsto be addressed.

[0014] Despite the fact that treestand is intended to be used outdoors,most treestand seats are made of materials which do not resist water.Treestand seats absorb precipitation, making them wet, soggy, anduncomfortable to the user. The colder and wetter the climate, the moreuncomfortable the seat can become.

[0015] Immediately after use, the treestand seat (whether it is wet ordry) is saturated with human scent. Leaving the human scent saturatedseat in the field exposes the user to detection by animals after theuser has departed the area. That scent can cling to the seat andtreestand structure for hours.

[0016] Exposure of the treestand to the elements weakens first, the seatmaterial, then the structure itself. The seat will weaken to the pointof being unsafe over time. Frequency of exposure, duration of exposureand the type of material will determine how fast the seat materialbreaks down.

[0017] Protection of the treestand seat and the treestand structures andscent control can be accomplished with my invention of a protectivecover that is made of materials impermeable to precipitation andsunlight.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The TREESTAND SEAT COVER is intended to protect the treestandstructure and the treestand seat from the detrimental effects of

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION, Continued—-climatic exposure when thetreestand is not in use. The TREESTAND SEAT COVER is also intended tocontain human human scent on the treestand seat and treestand structurewhen not in use.

[0019] Protection from the climatic elements will prolong the usefullife of the treestand and the treestand seat. Protection from theclimate will enable the user to have a dry seat to use upon arrival.

[0020] Containment of human scent between uses is important to help theuser's presence to be as undetectable as possible.

[0021] Protection from the elements and scent control is attained byenveloping the user-occupied portion of the treestand (the part the usersits or stands on) in a weather impermeable cover, which is sealed withhook and loop and attached to the treestand with an elastic strap.

[0022] The cover is sac-like in appearance with the opening end expandedin width to allow for clearance of the treestand risers.

[0023] The opening end is closed with use of hook & loop. Hook & loopallows for a snug fit around risers and other structural portions of thetreestand. Hook & loop and the wide opening allow for fitting the coveron many different shape risers and other structures and allow forfitting risers and structures that vary in width and depth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0024]FIG. 1 (Page 12) is an external view of the subject invention.

[0025]FIG. 2 (Page 13) is a view of a typically constructed portableclimbing treestand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING, Continued—

[0026]FIG. 3 (Page 14) is a view of the top and bottom of the exteriorof the invention.

[0027]FIG. 4 (Page 15) is a view of the top and bottom of the interiorof the invention.

[0028]FIG. 5 (Page 16) is a view of the invention applied to a typicalseat structure of a portable climbing treestand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] The invention of the TREESTAND COVER consists of the developmentof a weather impermeable and scent impermeable cover for treestand seatsand treestand structures.

[0030] The seat structure of most treestands are approximately 20 to 23½inches wide. Some have open fronts and some have closed fronts, whichmeans the main outside support bar may or may not encircle or enclosethe user (see FIG. 2 on Page 13). Open fronts may be as short as 15inches and closed fronts may exceed 30 inches. These measurements aretaken from cross members closest to the tree to the outside end of thetreestand (the front end).

[0031] Most treestand support members range in size from ¾″ diameter to1½″ diameter. Risers rise at different angles, are positioned atdifferent widths and are at different depths.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, Continued—-

[0032] To sum up, treestands are different in size, style, andstructural member spacing. So what is important to know about theTREESTAND COVER is that the opening mouth of the cover is widened toaccommodate the varied width and spacing of treestand members andrisers. The hook & loop combined with the flexibility and moldability ofthe fabric allows for fitting the fabric around most shapes and sizes ofrisers. The elasticity of the elastic strap will take back any remainingslack in the (closed) opening and hold it on the treestand throughtension on the back cross members.

[0033] The seat of the treestand, whether it is hard or soft, only needsto be moved forward (away from the tree) two inches to be fully enclosedand secured in the TREESTAND COVER. This will keep the seat and theuser-occupied portion of the treestand out of the weather and the scentcontained.

[0034] On FIG. 3 (on Page 14), the two center holes of the top of thebottom of the TREESTAND COVER are aligned equidistant from theirrespective centers.The center holes are located 4 ¼inches from center onthe opening edge of the cover. The outside holes in the top edge of theopening are located 17″ from center. The outside holes of bottom arelocated 18″ from center. Most treestands use approximately one-inchdiameter outside structures. The bottom of the cover has to travel oneinch further to go around the outside structure so the outside holespace is one inch further from center.

[0035] Some outside members may be a little wider and some may besmaller, thus changing the exact hole alignment of the outside holes.That is acceptable because the end of the elastic strap hook is lessthan ⅛″ in

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, Continued—- diameter and thediameter of the holes are ¾″ each. Tension on the elastic strap willequalize unequal measurements above or outside of the outside holes bypulling them toward the center and rear of the treestand.

[0036] On FIG. 3 (Page 14), there is 1½″ more material on the openingend of the top side of the cover. That 1½″ of extra material serves as adrip flap. Water will be carried beyond the opening where it will dripor run off onto the ground. It will also prevent water from being blowninto the opening in storm-like conditions.

[0037] On FIG. 4 (Page 15), the inside portion of the opening has ½″ ofloop & hook material attached between the holes. The hook & loop allowsthe cover to be closed and fitted around the various structural memberof the treestand.

[0038] HOW TO USE THE INVENTION: With the treestand attached to the baseof the tree in an inclined position, open the cover by pulling apart thehook and loop located inside the cover. The top side of the cover hasthe drip flap (See FIG. 3 on Page 14). With the top side facing the sky,pull the cover over the front edge of the seat structure or the platformstructure and pull it down until it envelopes the treestand or untilthere is no more cover to pull. Line up the holes and seal the hook &loop together with thumb and forefinger. Insert the elastic strap hooksthrough holes and around the cross members of the stand closest to thetree. The elastic strap will hold the cover taught and take up slack.Recheck hook & loop before departing and make sure drip flap is pointingdownward.

[0039] When the cover is properly secured with the treestand at asuitable incline, the cover is impermeable to rain, sleet, snow, andsunlight. The

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, Continued—- TREESTAND COVER ismade of nylon with a PVC (polyvinyl chloride) coating. However, thereare other materials on the market today that claim to be weatherresistant or water resistant or waterproof that are sufficientlyapplicable.

[0040] Camouflage patterns are preferred, but are not necessary.DRAWINGS

[0041] A total of five (5) drawings is attached for understanding of thesubject matter sought to be patented.

[0042]FIG. 1 is an external view of the top side of the TREESTAND COVERwith the open end of the pillowcase-like device shown as partially open.The interior of the opening reveals the location of the hook portion ofhook and loop adhesive (commonly known as the brand name velcro). Thathook portion is located on what I call the bottom interior of theTREESTAND COVER (See FIG. 4 on Page 14)

[0043]FIG. 1 shows the hook portion as a strip ¾″ wide on either side offour holes which are ¾″ in diameter each. The hook is the spotted stripin FIG. 1.

[0044]FIG. 4 (Page 14) shows the interior of the top and bottom of theTREESTAND COVER. FIG. 1 does not show the interior of the top, but theloop portion of the hook and loop adhesive is located on either side ofthe holes located on inside of the top (See FIG. 4 on Page 14).

[0045]FIG. 1 (Page 12) shows 1½″ of the extra material of the top sideof the TREESTAND COVER (See FIG. 3 on Page 13). That extra material iscalled the drip flap. The drip flap is on the top side of the TREESTANDCOVER to guide water beyond the opening edge of the cover and to preventblow back of water during high winds.

[0046]FIG. 2 (Page 13) is a typical portable climbing treestand thatboth DRAWINGS, Continued - the platform and the seat structures haveoutside members (E), angled risers (A), rear cross members (F), rearangled members (C), adjustable support (B), riser and outside membersupports (D), and front cross member (G). The treestand is strapped to atree in a user-ready position.

[0047] To install the cover, the user would open the opening end of thecover which is similar to a sack or a pillowcase and guide the openingover the front of the treestand toward the rear of the stand until itreaches the rear cross member of the treestand. The seat of thetreestand is then pushed inside the cover. After aligning the two middleholes in the bottom side with the two middle holes in the top, the hookand loop of each side is pressed together from the center or the middleholes toward the outside holes.

[0048] As the user passes by or over structural members of thetreestand, the hook and loop forms or fits to the contour of thesestructures.

[0049] One end of an elastic cord is strapped through the matchingmiddle holes of the top and bottom sides to the matching outside holes.One strap for one middle to outside hole and one strap for the otheroutside and middle holes (See FIG. 5 on Page 15). The straps are routedthrough the rear of the treestand. FIG. 5 shows the TREESTAND COVERenveloping the seat structure of a portable treestand.

[0050] Hook and loop positioned along the inside edge of the openingmakes the TREESTAND COVER adaptable to fit around different makes andmodels of treestands. The hook and loop gives a close fit to thediversely shaped structural members at the many different angles,distances and widths between members. The elastic strap eliminatesDRAWINGS, Continued - slack in narrow treestands and holds the TREESTANDCOVER to the treestand because the elastic strap is pulled around therear of the treestand. FIG. 5 (Page 15) shows the elastic straps infront of the rear structures.

[0051]FIG. 5 (Page 15) illustrates how the elastic straps should extendfrom the outside holes to the middle holes. The straps should be moredifficult to view from that front view.

[0052] There are many materials on the market that meet or exceed waterand vapor resistance. Nylon or polyester with PVC (polyvinyl chloride)coating is specifically sufficient to prevent the passage of moistureand vapor.

1. I claim that I have invented a cover to protect the seat of a portable treestand and the user-occupied portion of a portable treestand from direct weather exposure when the treestand is not in use.
 2. I claim that I have invented a cover to diminish the rate of human scent release into the atmosphere from the treestand seat and user-occupied portion of the treestand when the treestand is not in use.
 3. I claim that I have invented a cover that will adapt to the various makes, models, sizes, and shapes of portable climbing treestands through the implementation of hook & loop and elastic straps at and on the opening of the cover. 